Respecting things leads to respecting people.

It's not about tidiness - it's about care.

Say things like: “We use gentle hands with our books.”

  • Give responsibility: “This is your plate. Look after it.”

  • Let them help mend things: ‘Broken’ doesn’t always mean ‘bin’.

  • Practise careful play: “Can you build something and keep it standing?”

  • Talk about being a “resource protector,” not a “resource wrecker.”

Real-life Wins:

Your child carefully puts a book back on the shelf and whispers, “Night-night, book.” You wonder for a second if this is your parenting peak.